Australians led by Mitchel Johnson's five wicket haul hit back strong in the third and final session on the third day of the first Test to take a slender first innings lead. In reply to Australia's first innings score of 428, India made 405 in their first innings.

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For the Indians Sachin Tendulkar top-scored as he made 98 before being declared leg-before of the bowling of North. Suresh Raina's 86 was the next best contribution in the Indian total. Mitchell Johnson was the most successful Australian bowler, with figures of five for 64. It was Johnson's sixth five-wicket haul in his 37th test match.

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In the morning only 11 runs came off the first eight overs. Ishant Sharma frustrated the Australian bowlers for more than an hour and rode his luck before Doug Bollinger uprooted his off-stump with sheer pace. Tendulkar began his innings with a few boundaries before Dravid scored his 59th Test fifty. In the second session India lost Dravid of the bowling of Doug Bollinger who induced an edge from the batsman's blade and Tim Paine making no mistakes with what was a regulation catch. However, Tendulkar and Raina ensured another useful partnership came India's way for the fifth wicket, their 50-run stand taking just 84 balls.

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The home team tried to up the ante in the final session of the day's play. Runs, therefore, came at a brisk pace. Consequently it also turned out to be the most productive session for the visitors in terms of wickets. Tendulkar fell two short of a deserving hundred.

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Johnson then removed MS Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh of consecutive deliveries. Hauritz then cleaned up Zaheer with a well-flighted delivery. That brought into the crease the injured VVS Laxman. Johnson trapped Raina leg before to deny the southpaw a well-deserved century. And when Hauritz induced an edge of Laxman's blade for Michael Clarke to accept it at first slip, it was all over for India.